Electrode holder



Sept 8, 1925.

B. G. KLUGH ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed March 25. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept.8, 1925. 1,552,619

B. G. KLUGH ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed March 25. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

ZAZK ug/z Guam Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BETHUNE G. KLUGH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO FEDERAL PHOSPHOB'O'S COMPANY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ACORPORATION OF ALABAMA.

ELECTRODE HOLDER.

Application filed larch 25, 1922. Serial N'o. 546,896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BETHUNE G. KLUGH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectrodeHolders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in holders for the electrodesof electric furnaces, and has for its object to provide more positiveelectrical contact between the holder and electrode, more rigid grippingof the electrode, better distribution of clamping pressure over thesurface of the electrode at the holder, greater facility for slippingthe electrode even with current on, a more simplified mechanical design,accessibility to all functioning parts, ease of replacement of partswith minimum delay of furnace operation, and more efiicient distributionof electric current to electrode.

To those skilled in the art is well known the difficulty of maintainingpositive electrical contact between holder and electrode, and thatoccasional burning or heating in the region of the holder is a prevalenttrouble in electric furnace operation.

In my present invention I'show a complete holder of obviously practicaldesign adapted to the various ends above set forth.

It is well known to those familiar in this art that surface contactbetween electrode and holder is extremely difficult to obtain, althoughthat is the principle almost universally employed. No electrode hasan'accurately smooth circumferential surface in the present state of theart of electrode production. I refer to round electrodes, to which thisholder is more specifically, though not exclusively, adapted. Thiselectrode holder although adapted to any electric furnace operation isespecially advantageous for phosphatic smelting in enclosed furnaces, inwhich unusually long electrodes are required in service, and the joiningof electrode sec-- tions and the continuous feeding down of thesectional electrode is desirable.

Since smooth surfaces of electrodes rarely exist, it is obvious that asmooth or accurately radial contacting surface of any rigid metallicholder will rarely coincide with the electrode surface for suflicientarea to provide perfect conduction of electric current from the holderto the electrode. The

frequent condition is a few points of contact producing very limitedarea of contact and resulting in arcing or heating between the holderand the electrode, causing burning of either or both holder andelectrode. I correct this difficulty positively in my heremdescribedinvention by providing a serrated contacting electrode holder clampingsurface, so that I obtain a positive multi-line contact between holderand electrode, same taking place along the line of each serration edge.I cause each elongated edge to produce de nite contact by forcing itthrough any uneven surfaces or minute protrusions that otherwise wouldhold a smooth surface away from the electrode. I provide theseserrations of such small size and multiplicity that I always obtain anactually greater area of contact than is practicable with smooth surfaceholders almost universally employed on so called slip electrodes.

I further provide in my hereindescribed invent-ion, a simplifiedarrangement of the clamping members provided by more positivefunctioning of elements involved in its operation. 1

I will now describe what I regard as the preferred embodiment of myinvention, like numerals referring to like parts in all figures.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section to the right and vertical elevation to theleft of my improved holder.

Fig. 2 is a complete horizontal cross-section of the holder taken on theline AA in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section of the clamping member taken on the line B-B inFigs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line CC in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a Vertical section taken on the line DD in Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

Electrode 1 has clamps 2 engaging therewith serrated contacting surfaces3, and supported on a ring 4 through a lug 5, friction eing reduced bymeans of ball bearin s 6 in radial co-relating ball races 7 an 8, whichalso hold the clamps accurately spaced around the ring.

The clamps 2 are forced against electrode 1, uniformly by means ofscrews 9, each engaged in a threaded opening 10 in each clamp. The screw9 is screwed against axial movement in ring 4 by typical means such asvertical pins 11 which engage an annular groove 12 around the portion ofscrew 9 disposed in the ring 4. Each screw is allowed slight playvertically in its respective space 13 in the ring 4 to compensate forslight differences in relative height of the supporting ball races 8 andcenter line of the screw seat 10, and to prevent the Weight of the clampand electrode being transmitted to screw 9, such weight being supportedby the ring 4.

By turning a screw 9 in one direction its respective clamp 2 is forcedagainst the electrode 1, and by turning it in the opposite direction itsclamp is forcibly drawn away from the electrode. Free movement and easeof manipulation is provided by the great leverage of the screw, whichcan be turned by any suitable wrench, and also by the minimized frictionprovided by the preferable means of ball bearing load surfaces.

I arrange the screw location at or near a central point of the clamp,thus obtaining best distribution of clamping pressures and releasingpull. I further provide an addi; tional advantage and simplifiedarrangement in that the supporting ring 4 carrying the full load of theelectrode 1, through clamps 2, also distributes the electric current tothe several clamps. The incoming current from the bus bars, not shown,is conducted through cables 14, substantially joined to a lug 15 on thering 4, and then passes through ring 4 and is delivered to each clampthrough an individual bus connection 16 for each clamp, which connectionis attached to ring 4 by studs 17 and to its respective clamp by meansof studs 18. The loop 19 in these bus connections provides ease ofmovement of the clamps 2 relative to the ring 4.

In the event any clamp section requires replacement, it may easily bedone by removing pins 11, screwing out screw 9, disconnecting its busconnection at 18, and lifting out of the ring section without disturbingother elements of the holder.

The clamp sections are cooled by means of a circulation of water throughchamber 20 communicating through nipples 26 and hose connections 27 tothe indicated openings 21 on each side of a baflle The entire load ofelectrode 1 and clamps 2 on the ring 4 is supported from threeequidistant lugs 22 provided with suitable insulation thereon, notshown, and through which pass cables 23 which are: operated by drums ona suitable hoist, not shown.

I preferably make the bus ring 4 hollow, thereby providing a watercooling chamber 28 which is interrupted by cross partitions 29 radiallydisposed and having formed therein the spaces 13 for the screws 9. Thechambers in the bus rings on either side of these partitions areconnected by a pi 30 so as to form a continuous circulating c a her forthe water.

The serrations in their preferred form are closely associated and extendfrom top to bottom of the clamp parallel with the axis of the electrode.I prefer to have the serrations continuous but it is within thecontemplation of my invention that they may have any suitable shape, butwhere slip electrodes are to be used their arrangement should be such asto permit the electrode to sli Though I have described with greatparticularity the details of the embodiment of the invention hereinshown, it is not to be construed that I am limited thereto as changes inarrangement and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilledin the art without departing from the invention as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus descrlbed my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electrode holder having its electrode engaging surface providedwith serrations disposed parallel with the axis of the electrode.

2. An electrode holder having a plurality of electrode engaging clamps,and a ring surrounding and directly sup orting said clamps and carryingmeans independent of said supporting means for positively'moving theclamps towards the electrode.

3. An electrode holder having a plurality of electrode engaging clamps,and a, ring surrounding and direc ly supporting said clamps carryingmeans independent of said supporting means for positively moving theclamps towards and from the electrode.

4. An electrode holder having a plurality of electrode engaging clamps,a common. ring surrounding said members, means to mount the said membersfree for radial movement on said ring, and individual radially disposedactuators for adjusting said members radially in said ring.

5. An electrode holder com rising a plurality of electrode engaging camps having supporting lugs, a common rin surrounding said members andadapte to engage and support said clamps by said in s, and radiallydisposed actuators mounted ree for a limited vertical play only in saidring and adapted to engage and move said members radially in the ring.

6. An electrode holder comprising a plurality of electrode engagingclamps, a ring surrounding and supporting said clamps, said clamps andring having co-acting means for maintaining radial position of saidclamps relative to said ring, and clamp actuating means mounted on thering.

7. An electrode holder in accordance with claim 6, in which saidbearings are formed members relieved of supportin by balls mounted inradial eqlllii-distantly spaced races formed partly in t e ring andpartly in the clam s.

8. Anelectrode older having an integral supporting ring provided withincoming current connections, ring supporting means, clamp members-mounted within and supported directly by the ring, clamp thrust load ofclam members, and current distributing mem ers from-the ring to theseveral clamps.

9. 'In an electrode holder a ring, a plurality of electrode enga g'clamps surrounded by said ring, ra ial thrust means working between theclamps and ring to apply the clamps to and release them from theelectrode, said thrust means ,and said clamps being designed to permitthe several clamp members when released to be individually removed andreplaced when the electrode is in place relative to other clamp members.

10. An electrode holder having a plurality of electrode engaging clamps,a ring surrounding said clamps, radial screws mounted in the rin andadapted to engage the clamps, said 0 amps havin members adapt- -ed toengage the ring, an means to secure said screws in the ring free forrotation and limited vertical play therein.

11. An electrode holder having 'a plurality of electrode engagin clamps,a common ring surrounding an supporting I said clamp and radial clampactuating thrust members rotatably mounted in the ring and adapted toscrew into the threaded openings in said clamps and free from anysupporting loads or strains.

12. An electrode holder in accordance with claim 11, in which the clampsare vertically elongated and have outer shoulders which overhang andrest on the ring.

13. An electrode holder havin a lurality of clamps, a common ring orirectly supporting said clamps independently about ment, there beingthreaded sockets near the center of the clamps to receive said screws,

individual yieldable bus connections from said ring to each clamp, andincoming cur rent connections on the ring, substantially as described.

15. An eleetrodeholder having a series of hollow clamps, connections forthe circulating of water through said clamps, acommon bus ringsurrounding the clamps and adapted to support them free for individualadjustment and removal, and clamp meanscarried by the ring and adaptedto thrust the clamps to their work.

16. An electrode holder comprising a bus ring, a series of electrodeclamps mounted on the bus ring, there being comm anicating chambersformed within the bus rin for the circulation of a cooling medium, ra'al partitions separating the bus ring chambers and having verticallyelongated openings therethrough, vertical guide. pinsintersecting thesides of said openings, a radial screw having its head circumferentiallygrooved and rotatably held between said pins free for a limited verticalplay and disposed .to en age and operate its respective clam mem ers,and electrical connections from t e bus ring to the clamp members,substantially as described.

In testimony whereofIaflix my signature.

BETHUNE G. KLUGH.

